If you want to get a sense of who Roberto Voerzio is,
you have to look at the numbers, many of which go to
extremes of both highs and lows in the viticultural
calculus. Take, for example, his production yields.
Voerzio’s yields are not only recognized as the
lowest in Barolo, they come in at levels far below what
are considered to be highly desirable: Each vine of
Voerzio’s produces approximately 750 grams of
fruit—roughly half of what is deemed to ensure
an exceptional output for wines of high caliber. Thus,
the production levels realized by Voerzio’s seven
Barolos are exceedingly low, averaging between 150 and
450 cases.
In and of themselves, these Barolos are pretty impressive,
as they represent the most highly esteemed sites of
the La Morra commune—Brunate, La Serra, Cerequio,
Rocche dell’Annunziata/Torriglione, Vecchie
Vite dei Capalot e dell Brunate, and Sarmassa, the
last two of which are produced exclusively in magnum
format. (In addition to his Barolo portfolio, Voerzio
also produces Barbera (including the renowned Barbera
d’Alba Riserva Vigneto Pozzo dell’Annunziata,
Dolcetto, Langhe-designated bottlings, and a Super-Piemonte
named Vignaserra). A look into the production regimens
of his Barolos reveals some pretty interesting numbers
as well. Although Voerzio is not only typically classified
as a modernist but thought to be the ultimate hierophant
of the order, his standard maceration numbers just
don’t add up to the statistical profile of an
absolute modernist. In fact, his average of 15 days
is well within the recognized traditional zone. Moreover,
while Voerzio’s current vinification regimen
(as of this writing, May 2008) privileges barrique,
he’s not as close to this modern vessel as you
might suppose. From 1988 to 1995, Voerzio utilized
a combination of barriques and midsized barrels, a
protocol that tacitly integrates modernity and tradition.
Interestingly, Voerzio doesn’t regard this stage
as one he’s moved on from; rather, he has expressed
a desire to reinstate this approach, but is hesitant
to do so for fear of alienating a significant proportion
of modern wine drinkers.
In certain circumstances, however, such as those
presented by the challenging 2003 vintage, Voerzio’s
traditional principles trump the lure of modernity.
Although some of his wines failed to complete fermentation—a
condition that could have been ameliorated by additives—Voerzio
declined to salvage them through unnatural means,
thereby foregoing the production of two Barolos and
a few other bottlings. Nonetheless, the ’03
vintage is of particular significance in Voerzio’s
career. Unlike many producers, Voerzio is exceedingly
pleased with the quality of his production overall,
believing it to be one of his best vintages since
1996. His unrelenting perfectionism was particularly
evident in the absurdly minute quantity of his yields
(500 grams per plant). Vintage 2003 also marks the
debut of a new Barolo in his portfolio—the Barolo
Fossati Case Nere 10 Anni Riserva. Perhaps there is
no more substantive testament to Voerzio’s desire
to both honor and engage in traditional practices
than this Riserva, which will not be released until
2013. Indeed, he regards this “bit of folly”
as his Monfortino, the legendary Barolo of Giacomo
Conterno that is widely considered to constitute the
consummate expression in the category. His signature
Barbera—Vigneto Pozzo dell’Annunziata
Riserva—continues its hedonistic career, but
Voerzio may be one of the most traditional “modernists”
out there.